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Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 5 lb potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • ½ cup half & half or milk, gently warmed
  • ½ cup salted butter, gently warmed
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 1 tsp kosher salt divided: ½–1 tsp for boiling; then up to ½–¾ tsp to taste when mixing
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder optional
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Butter for topping optional, 2–3 pats
  • Chives for garnish optional
  • Nonstick cooking spray for pan

Instructions

Prep the Potatoes:

  • Peel a 5 lb bag of potatoes and cut them into large chunks for faster, more even cooking.
  • Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Sprinkle with about ½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Boil:

  • Bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat.
  • To prevent boiling over, lay a wooden spoon across the top of your pot (a little trick from Mary Katherine!).
  • Boil for about 20 minutes, or until a knife slides easily through the potatoes.

Drain and Mix:

  • Drain well and transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, gently warm together the half & half and butter (about 40 seconds; butter doesn’t have to be fully melted).
  • Add warmed butter/half & half, room-temp cream cheese, and sour cream to the hot potatoes.
  • Season with about ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional), and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
  • Beat with a mixer until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Mary Katherine likes hers extra creamy, so she bumps up the speed for a bit at the end.

Pan & Store:

  • Spray a 9x13-inch (or similar) baking dish with nonstick spray.
  • Spoon mashed potatoes into the prepared dish.
  • Let cool a bit, then cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and foil. Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Bake to Serve:

  • When ready to serve, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • If desired, dot the top with extra butter before baking.
  • Bake, covered, for 35–45 minutes until hot and edges are just starting to crisp.
  • Stir to make them nice and creamy, garnish with chives if you like, and serve! No one will know you made these ahead of time—they taste just-made.